TAMPA, Fla. — South Florida took advantage of two early takeaways to build a 14-0 lead and never looked back in a 55-23 victory over UTSA in American Conference action on Thursday night at Raymond James Stadium.
The Bulls scored on an interception return for a touchdown and a fumble return for a score on the opening two possessions of the game en route to running their record to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the league.
The Roadrunners fell to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the conference in their first-ever visit to Tampa. UTSA tallied 381 yards of offense, including 309 through the air, as Owen McCown threw for 200 and a touchdown on 16-of-23 passing and Brandon Tennison added 109 yards and a score on 13-of-21 passing.
Houston Thomas led the way with seven receptions for 77 yards, while David Amador II had 56 yards on three catches.
The Bulls were led by quarterback Byrum Brown, who completed 14 of 15 passes for 239 yards and two TDs and rushed for 109 yards and a score on nine carries.
It was the USF defense that set the tone early, giving the home team a two-score lead before the offense saw the field.
On the opening play of the game, Tavin Ward picked off a pass and returned it 40 yards for a TD to give USF a quick lead just eight seconds into the contest.
The Roadrunners then drove 60 yards on their next possession all the way to the USF 2-yard line. However, a strip sack led to an 85-yard fumble return for a TD by Fred Gaskin.
UTSA got on the board when Michael Petro drilled a 33-yard field goal that capped a short drive set up by a muffed punt recovered by Chris Bryson II at the USF 27.
USF’s offense first possessed the ball at the 2:07 mark of the opening period. Brown capped a six-play, 65-yard march with a 13-yard keeper to help push the lead to 21-3.
The Roadrunners needed only three plays to score on their next drive. McCown found Amador open for a 31-yard completion, setting up a 45-yard TD strike to Patrick Overmyer down the left sideline. Petro’s extra point made it 21-10 with 13:46 left until halftime.
The Bulls responded with 24 unanswered points to close out the half Brown hit Keshaun Singleton for a 16-yard touchdown pass and then Nykahi Davenport broke loose for a 59-yard TD run at the 10:15 mark of the second stanza. With fewer than six minutes remaining in the half, Singleton — who finished with 122 receiving yards — hauled in a 40-yard pass from Brown, while Nico Gramatica made a 40-yard field goal as time expired in the half to make it 45-10 at the break.
The lead grew to 42 early in the second half after Davenport reached the end zone on a 7-yard rush.
Petro made his second field goal of the night with a 39-yard kick at the 5:09 mark of the third quarter.
Gramatica made his second field goal in response, a 51-yarder that made it 55-13 late in the third.
Playing in his hometown, Mekhi Anderson registered his first career TD on a 19-yard pass from Tennison in the fourth quarter, while Petro extended his streak of made field goals to 10 with a 27-yard boot late in the contest.
The Roadrunners will return to action at Charlotte next Saturday, Nov. 15. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT at Jerry Richardson Stadium.
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